Automatic lubricator for journal-bearings.



J. A. MoGALLUM. AUTOMATIC LUBRIOATOR FOR JOURNAL BEARINGS. APPLICATIONFILED 11120.23, 1911.

1 ,O39,4;26, Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

JOSEPH ALBERT MOCALLUM, OI? CRESTLINE, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR FOR JOURNAL-BEARINGS.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Application filed. December 23, 1911. Serial No. 667,472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn ALBERT Mo- CALLUM, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing in Crestline, in the county of Crawford andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Lubricators for Journal-Bearings, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means forautomatically lubricating journals and bearings when they become heatedand require the supply of additional lubricating material.

My improvements are especially intended for use in connection with theaxle boxes of railway cars but may be applied to journals and bearingsof various kinds.

, In carrying out my invention I provide a vessel or reservoircontaining oil or other suitable liquid lubricating material and connectsaid reservoir with the journal box or bearing by suitable pipes orconduits. The discharge end of the pipe or conduit is arranged close tothe journal and is normally closed by some suitable material which willconfine the lubricant but which will melt at a relatively lowtemperature and permit the lubricant to flow to the journal when thelatter is heated. Preferably the lubricating material is fed by gravitythrough a vertical pipe which connects with a horizontally arranged pipecontaining a tube having its outer end closed by the fusible materialand which is pressed by a spring toward the journal box. The spring isarranged within the horizontal pipe and the discharge end of the tube ispreferably closed by a stopper which is removably connected with thetube and contains a chamber, the walls of which are perforated andwithin which the fusible material is contained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a cartruck with my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a view on an enlargedscale partly in elevation and partly in sect-ion showing myimprovements. Fig. 3 is a detail View on an enlarged scale and insection of the stopper containing fusible material.

By way of illustration I have shown my improvements applied to a cartruck A.

B indicates a vessel or reservoir for the lubricating material.

B indicates a gage of well known construction.

I have shown two pipes C connected with the reservoir B but as thesepipes are precisely the same in construction and are connected withother parts of similar construction I will only describe one of theconnections between the reservoir and an axle box.

The pipe C connects with a coupling D to which is connected ahorizontally arranged pipe E in turn connected with the axle box F.Within the pipe E is a tube G which is adapted to slide within. the pipeand carries at its outer or discharge end a stopper J containing fusiblematerial M. The tube G is-pressed toward the bearing block H of thejournal by a spring K which bears also against a removable screw plug I.The tension of the spring may be adjusted by the plug I and when theplug is removed the spring and the tube G to which it is attached may bewithdrawn. The discharge end of the tube G may be closed in variousways. I prefer however to employ a screw plug J having a threadedportion j adapted to engage a correspondingly threaded portion at theend of the tube. The sto per contains a chamber L to receive the fusiblematerial M, and the front wall of this chamber is perforated asindicated at Z. The stop er is preferably made of brass and is of suchstrength and durability as to be practically unbreakable and will notsoon wear out. Normally the fusible material M prevents oil from passingout through the discharge end of .the tube but should the journal becomeheated and require additional lubrication the heat from the bearingblock H will be imparted directly to the end of the stopper J and thematerial M will be melted and flow out through the openings Z and thelubricating oil will then follow. In this way lubricating material isheld in reservation and only used when required, but it is automaticallysupplied when the journals become heated.

It is not necessary to often renew any of the parts. It is only necessarto remove the stopper J and refill it with usible material when thelatter has been melted.

It will be observed that the fusible material may be renewed withoutdisconnecting the pipes C and E from the reservoir or the axle box. Byunscrewing the lug I, the spring K and the tube G with t e stopper J maybe removed, the stopper J detached and refilled and then after thestopper is replaced the tube and spring may be passed into the pipe Eand held in place by the plug I, the stopper J being firmly pressedagainst the bearingblock H.

I claim as my invention: I

1. The combination with a journal box of a reservoir for lubricatingmaterial, a pipe connection between the reservoir and the box, a stopperwithin the'journal box detachably connected with and projecting from thedischarge end of the pipe which has an opening through it for the exitof the lubricant and is yieldingly held against a part of the journalbox near the journal, and fusible material contained within the stopperwhich normally closes the opening of a reservoir for lubricatingmaterial, a

pipe connection between the reservoir and the box, a stopper within thejournal box detachably connected with the discharge end of the pipe andwhich has an opening 1 through it for the exit of the lubricant, a

spring connected with the stopper and which presses it against a part ofthe journal box, and fusible -material contained within said stopper andnormally closing the opening therein.

3. The combination with a journal box of a reservoir for lubricatingmaterial, a pipe connection between the reservoir and the box, alubricant-conveying tube movable in said pipe connection, a stopperdetachably connected with the discharge end of said tube having anopening through it for the exit of the lubricant, a spring for pressingthe tube outward toward the journal, and fusible material containedwithin said stopper which normally closes the opening therein. 1?

l. The combination of a journal box, a reservoir for lubricatingmaterial, a pipe connection extending from the reservoir to the interiorof the box for conveying lubricant from the reservoir and discharging itinto the box, and a stopper extending into the discharge end of the pipeand detachably connected therewith, said stopper having a perforatedouter end and being provided on its inside with a chamber for fusiblematerial, and fusible material contained in said chamber and normallyclosing said perforations.

5. The combination with a reservoir for lubricating material, of ajournal box, pipe connections between the reservoir and the journal box,a lubricant-conveying tube telescoping wit-h the pipe connections, astopper attached to the discharge end of the tube and having an openingthrough it, fusible material contained in the stopper, a spring pressingthe tube outward toward the journal, and a screw plug against which thespring presses.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOSEPH ALBERT MCCALLUM. Witnesses:

HELEN HoRNINo, W. D. MEWHORTQ

